Work in the lab is continuing as usual. I'm still doing drug trials but on top of them, I look at the effects of the drugs on the appearance of parasites (eg. their organelles, stage at which they die, etc...). I get to work with a confocal microscope. If you don't know what that is, imagine a large-ish microscope with a computer next to it, with four lasers, and a spectacularly confusing array of knobs, switches and dials. In other words, lots of room to screw up (and I have of course). But the good news is that I'm getting a hang of it.
Outside the lab, I've been exploring Australia some more. My friends and I hired a car and went to the Great Ocean Road and Otway National Park. The scenery was gorgeous. I saw my first koalas (up close, almost too close) and even the only carnivorous snails in the world. Since it rained a bit the week before, all the waterfalls in the rainforest were running strong.
Over the next month or so, I will try to get some decent data, pretty pictures of parasites, eat more juicy 'roo steaks (yes, they are like beef, but sweeter and gamier, more like horse) and get ready for my trip to Tasmania (last two weeks of my stay Down Under). It's good to hear everyone else is enjoying the summer as much as I am.
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